Photograph (left) and interpretive drawing (right) of O. bucchichi holotype (BSP 1901/002/0001-0005)
Scientific classification
Domain:
Eukaryota
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Reptilia
Order:
Squamata
Clade:
†Mosasauria
Family:
†Aigialosauridae
Genus:
†Opetiosaurus Kornhuber, 1901
Species:
†O. bucchichi
Binomial name
†Opetiosaurus bucchichi
Kornhuber, 1901
Opetiosaurus is an extinct genus of Late Cretaceous marine or semiaquatic lizard classified as part of the family Aigialosauridae within the Mosasauroidea. Exclusively found in deposits of Cenomanian age near Hvar, Croatia, the genus contain one valid species, O. bucchichi. It was a small reptile measuring 1 metre (3.3 ft) long.[1]
The genus was diagnosed as congenetic with Aigialosaurus by Dutchak and Caldwell (2009),[2] being re-diagnosed as "Aigialosaurus bucchichi" and only separated by some minor anatomical differences between specimens of the two species. Madzia & Cau (2017)[3] show that the two species are not necessarily more closely related to each other than either is to more derived mosasauroids, suggesting not only that Opetiosaurus is a valid genus, but also calling the validity of the Aigialosauridae as a monophyletic group into question.
^Bardet, Nathalie (2008). "The Cenomanian-Turonian (late Cretaceous) radiation of marine squamates (Reptilia): the role of the Mediterranean Tethys". Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France. 179 (6): 605–623. doi:10.2113/gssgfbull.179.6.605.
^Dutchak, Alex R.; and Caldwell, Michael W. (2009)."A redescription of Aigialosaurus (= Opetiosaurus) bucchichi (Kornhuber, 1901) (Squamata: Aigialosauridae) with comments on mosasauroid systematics". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology29 (2): 437-452.
^Madzia, D., Cau, A. (2017). Inferring "weak spots" in phylogenetic trees: application to mosasauroid nomenclature. PeerJ 5:e3782
Opetiosaurus is an extinct genus of Late Cretaceous marine or semiaquatic lizard classified as part of the family Aigialosauridae within the Mosasauroidea...
genera, Aigialosaurus and Opetiosaurus, the status of the family remains uncertain. Dutchak & Caldwell (2009) designated Opetiosaurus as a junior synonym of...
specimen measuring 65 cm (2.13 ft) long. Another primitive mosasauroid, Opetiosaurus, was suggested to represent a second species of Aigialosaurus in 2009...
(Dolichosaurus, Pontosaurus, and Tetrapodophis) and mosasauroids (Mosasaurus and Opetiosaurus) Scientific classification Domain: Eukaryota Kingdom: Animalia Phylum:...
groups and genera Aigialosauridae Aigialosaurus Carsosaurus Komensaurus Opetiosaurus Dolichosauridae Coniasaurus Dolichosaurus Kaganaias Primitivus Pontosaurus...
groups and genera Aigialosauridae Aigialosaurus Carsosaurus Komensaurus Opetiosaurus Dolichosauridae Coniasaurus Dolichosaurus Kaganaias Primitivus Pontosaurus...
groups and genera Aigialosauridae Aigialosaurus Carsosaurus Komensaurus Opetiosaurus Dolichosauridae Coniasaurus Dolichosaurus Kaganaias Primitivus Pontosaurus...
groups and genera Aigialosauridae Aigialosaurus Carsosaurus Komensaurus Opetiosaurus Dolichosauridae Coniasaurus Dolichosaurus Kaganaias Primitivus Pontosaurus...
groups and genera Aigialosauridae Aigialosaurus Carsosaurus Komensaurus Opetiosaurus Dolichosauridae Coniasaurus Dolichosaurus Kaganaias Primitivus Pontosaurus...
karst near Komen. Opetiosaurus bucchichi: Eine neue Fossile eidechse aus der unteren Kreide von Lesina in Dalmatien, 1901 – Opetiosaurus bucchichi: A new...
groups and genera Aigialosauridae Aigialosaurus Carsosaurus Komensaurus Opetiosaurus Dolichosauridae Coniasaurus Dolichosaurus Kaganaias Primitivus Pontosaurus...
groups and genera Aigialosauridae Aigialosaurus Carsosaurus Komensaurus Opetiosaurus Dolichosauridae Coniasaurus Dolichosaurus Kaganaias Primitivus Pontosaurus...
groups and genera Aigialosauridae Aigialosaurus Carsosaurus Komensaurus Opetiosaurus Dolichosauridae Coniasaurus Dolichosaurus Kaganaias Primitivus Pontosaurus...
groups and genera Aigialosauridae Aigialosaurus Carsosaurus Komensaurus Opetiosaurus Dolichosauridae Coniasaurus Dolichosaurus Kaganaias Primitivus Pontosaurus...
groups and genera Aigialosauridae Aigialosaurus Carsosaurus Komensaurus Opetiosaurus Dolichosauridae Coniasaurus Dolichosaurus Kaganaias Primitivus Pontosaurus...
groups and genera Aigialosauridae Aigialosaurus Carsosaurus Komensaurus Opetiosaurus Dolichosauridae Coniasaurus Dolichosaurus Kaganaias Primitivus Pontosaurus...
groups and genera Aigialosauridae Aigialosaurus Carsosaurus Komensaurus Opetiosaurus Dolichosauridae Coniasaurus Dolichosaurus Kaganaias Primitivus Pontosaurus...
groups and genera Aigialosauridae Aigialosaurus Carsosaurus Komensaurus Opetiosaurus Dolichosauridae Coniasaurus Dolichosaurus Kaganaias Primitivus Pontosaurus...
groups and genera Aigialosauridae Aigialosaurus Carsosaurus Komensaurus Opetiosaurus Dolichosauridae Coniasaurus Dolichosaurus Kaganaias Primitivus Pontosaurus...
groups and genera Aigialosauridae Aigialosaurus Carsosaurus Komensaurus Opetiosaurus Dolichosauridae Coniasaurus Dolichosaurus Kaganaias Primitivus Pontosaurus...
groups and genera Aigialosauridae Aigialosaurus Carsosaurus Komensaurus Opetiosaurus Dolichosauridae Coniasaurus Dolichosaurus Kaganaias Primitivus Pontosaurus...
groups and genera Aigialosauridae Aigialosaurus Carsosaurus Komensaurus Opetiosaurus Dolichosauridae Coniasaurus Dolichosaurus Kaganaias Primitivus Pontosaurus...
groups and genera Aigialosauridae Aigialosaurus Carsosaurus Komensaurus Opetiosaurus Dolichosauridae Coniasaurus Dolichosaurus Kaganaias Primitivus Pontosaurus...
groups and genera Aigialosauridae Aigialosaurus Carsosaurus Komensaurus Opetiosaurus Dolichosauridae Coniasaurus Dolichosaurus Kaganaias Primitivus Pontosaurus...
groups and genera Aigialosauridae Aigialosaurus Carsosaurus Komensaurus Opetiosaurus Dolichosauridae Coniasaurus Dolichosaurus Kaganaias Primitivus Pontosaurus...
groups and genera Aigialosauridae Aigialosaurus Carsosaurus Komensaurus Opetiosaurus Dolichosauridae Coniasaurus Dolichosaurus Kaganaias Primitivus Pontosaurus...
groups and genera Aigialosauridae Aigialosaurus Carsosaurus Komensaurus Opetiosaurus Dolichosauridae Coniasaurus Dolichosaurus Kaganaias Primitivus Pontosaurus...